Last Gasp Marquez Beats Lorenzo To Jerez Pole

Marc Marquez claimed his fourth pole position out of four at the start of the 2014 MotoGP season after pipping Jorge Lorenzo in the dying seconds at Jerez. The world champion did so despite switching bikes midway through Q2 and went on to break the circuit record on his second machine, taking him four tenths clear of Lorenzo.

Lorenzo was the first to strike at the start of the pole position shootout, clocking a 1:38.541 and in soaring temperatures, that would be the quickest he’d go. Marquez’s first attempt came up two tenths short but his Repsol Honda team were running a different strategy to normal, opting for three runs of a single timed lap each.

Marc’s second venture onto the race track brought slight progress but his 1:38.601 was still only good enough for second but after another dive back into the pits, and a switch to his second bike with new tyres, the world champion produced a sensational lap to go four tenths quicker than Lorenzo as the chequered flag flew. To rub salt in the wounds, Marc also snatched Jorge’s six year old circuit record into the bargain.

Dani Pedrosa was a tenth further back from Lorenzo, ensuring an all-Spanish front row for the Spanish Grand Prix but Valentino Rossi did at least beat Aleix Espargaro to fourth, breaking the domination of the home riders. Andrea Dovizioso will lead the Ducati challenge tomorrow from sixth with Stefan Bradl heading row three ahead of the Tech 3 Yamahas, Pol Espargaro outqualifying Bradley Smith for the first time to finish eighth.

Alvaro Bautista negotiated his way through Q1 before securing tenth on the grid but Colin Edwards had no need to go out in the first session having gone a stunning fifth in FP3. The Texan will line up eleventh tomorrow ahead of Aspar duo Nicky Hayden and Hiroshi Aoyama while Cal Crutchlow will start fourteenth on his return to action.